Washington: US President-elect Joe Biden is expected to nominate veteran diplomat Antony Blinken as his secretary of state, according to media reports.
Bloomberg, The New York Times and several other news organisations reported on the plan to nominate Blinken on Monday, quoting anonymous sources close to the president-elect.
Blinken, 58, served as the deputy secretary of state and as deputy national security adviser in President Barack Obama’s administration, in which Biden served as vice president.
The New York Times called Blinken a “defender of global alliances” and said he is expected to try and coalesce sceptical international partners into new competition with China if nominated and confirmed to the role.
An announcement on Blinken’s nomination is likely on Tuesday, Reuters news agency reported.
Biden is also expected to nominate another close aide, Jake Sullivan, as national security adviser, according to US media, while Linda Thomas-Greenfield, a 35-year veteran of the foreign service, is expected to be named Washington’s ambassador to the United Nations.
